Russian Seismic Vessel in Barents Sea

Detail shot of the 8km seismic testing cable or streamer behind the Akademic Lazarev vessel. The cable detects the very low level of reflected energy that travels from the seismic source, down through the earth and back up to the surface, using pressure sensitive devices called hydrophones. Greenpeace is confronting this seismic vessel in the Barents Sea north of Russia, protesting the Russian oil giant Rosneft as it prepares to drill for oil in the fragile Arctic. Early this morning, as the Rosneft-contracted vessel Akademic Lazarev began firing underwater sound cannons up to 250 decibels in the Fedynskiy license block, Greenpeace approached the vessel, demanding that it stop operations immediately. Rosneft has recently signed joint deals to drill in the Arctic with international oil companies including ExxonMobil, BP and Statoil.